H264/AC3 (MKV) to H264/AAC (MP4) ?

[jccca]

I have some MKV files with avc video and ac3 audio that I would like to play on my PS3.
I have demuxed the MKV into two different files (*.h264 and *.ac3).

I have tried putting just the video in an mp4 container using meGui, but the resulting mp4 file won't even play in quicktime (it gets the length right but I get no picture). The ps3 can't play it either, but it also reports the video lenght right.

So, I used XviD4PSP (it has a PS3 profile) and everything was "perfect". But this is a very inefficient way, because not only does quality suffer (although not that much), but it also took me around 6 hours to complete the process (the file is a ~1GB 720p video). But the ps3 played the file flawlessly.

Is there any way I can make a valid mp4 out of the audio and video streams I have? What tool can I use to independently transcode the ac3 audio into aac (I don't mind if gets downsampled to stereo).

I think, but I'm not sure, that the PS3 will play avc-encoded videos on an AVI container... maybe I can try remuxing the mkv into an avi?

What tools would I need?

Thanks in advance

[celtic_druid]

won't even play in quicktime
QT's AVC decoder is actually pretty crappy. It can handle basically Main Profile AVC only.

You can definitely make a valid mp4 (wouldn't even need to re-encode the audio since mp4 can store it as a private stream). Doesn't mean that QT or a PS3 will play it back though.

You would need to find out exactly what level/profile the PS3 can handle.

[jccca]

Yeah, I've pretty much confirmed that my mkv was encoded in H264 High profile 5.1, and that neither PS3 or quicktime will play those.
The PS3 however, supports it, but not in an mp4, but in a m2ts/mts file... those used in bluray discs or avchd discs.
Nero can author avchd discs, and the resulting mts file is encoded in h264 high profile 4.1 and the PS3 plays it. But nero will re-code/transcode instead of just muxing.

m2ts files (avchd/ hdmv, or whatever they're called) can actually have ac3 audio on them. But I don't know HOW to mux those files!

[Craig Fuqua]

I've used VLC to change a TS container to PS in order to get it to run on my PS3. VLC supports MKV, so it should work for you.
From my memory: Start VLC. Use the "File | Open" menu option (not Quick Open). You get a dialog box with a set of options. Change the output to File and provide a path with a .mp4 extension. Change the container to PS. There should be no need to re-encode, but if the audio doesn't work you may want to repeat and have it re-encode the audio.
If the H264 video doesn't work, you may need to reencode with a 4.0 profile. I read just now that PS3 supports 4.1, but I haven't tested that yet.
Since the March firmware upgrade for the PS3, I'm having more luck with H264.

[Soopafresh]

Never tested it, though.

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=1687614&highlight=#1687614

[skyfx]

I have some MKV files with avc video and ac3 audio that I would like to play on my PS3.
I have demuxed the MKV into two different files (*.h264 and *.ac3).

Is there any way I can make a valid mp4 out of the audio and video streams I have? What tool can I use to independently transcode the ac3 audio into aac (I don't mind if gets downsampled to stereo).

What tools would I need?

I'm trying to do this exact thing as well, but am having the same problem. Any suggestions?

[Baldrick]

Use instead mkv2vob and you can keep the ac3.

[FulciLives]

tsMuxeR can create a M2TS file from a H.264 video file and AC-3 audio file. The M2TS will then play back on a PS3 as long as it was recorded Level 4.1 and with the proper settings for all the other stuff.

tsMuxeR allows you to change the header to read Level 4.1 so if the original says 5.1 you can change it but you are just changing the header info so it may work or it may not.

These days most 1080p / 720p MKV files with AC-3 are encoded in such a way that the video is PS3 friendly. Just use txMuxeR and there you go.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[skyfx]

The problem I am specifically having is when going from .mkv to any other format, the file somehow seems to be getting corrupted, because when I play it in VLC (which works), the video duration states 00:00/00:00. This happens regardless of whether I use tsMuxeR or mkv2vob. When I then try to play the "converted" file, be it .m2ts or .vob, on the PS3, the video starts playing but stops playback after a few seconds, probably because it can't handle the aforementioned corruption. Any idea what may cause this? I actually just tried using MKVExtractGUI with mkvtoolnix to extract the h.264 & ac-3 file from the .mkv container and then muxed it back into .m2ts using tsMuxeR, but I'm still having 00:00/00:00 show up in VLC. Note that I've tried a variety of .mkv files but I keep having the same problem.

[skyfx]

Well I don't understand why, but apparently that one time the video stalled on me on the PS3 was an exception and the 00:00/00:00 on VLC doesn't actually matter. Thanks anyways

[FulciLives]

Well I don't understand why, but apparently that one time the video stalled on me on the PS3 was an exception and the 00:00/00:00 on VLC doesn't actually matter. Thanks anyways

Could be that the video in question really wasn't PS3 friendly. Remember there are many ways to encode H.264 and not all ways create a H.264 video file that the PS3 is capable of playing.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman